James Purefoy

James Purefoy has been puttering around the television and film industry since 1990, but today the British-born actor is most recognized for his role as Mark Antony on the HBO drama Rome.

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James Purefoy Biography

Born and raised in Somerset, England, James isn’t one of those fortunate actors who grew up knowing that he was destined for a career in entertainment. After he left school at the age of 16, he spent a couple of years working odd jobs, such as a working hand on a pig farm and as a porter at Yeovil District Hospital.

When James was 18, he decided that a return to college was the right thing to do. It was at this time that he took his first drama class. After realizing that acting was something he felt passionate about, James enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama. When he paid his dues at Central, James was asked to join the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1988. While with the company he appeared in The Constant Couple, Macbeth, The Tempest, The Man Who Came to Dinner, and King Lear.

Though his theater credits are numerous and prestigious, James has also appeared in many television and film productions. Starting in 1990, his roles have become increasingly more notable and include parts in A Dance to the Music of Time, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, The Prince and the Pauper, A Knight’s Tale (2001) with Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon, Resident Evil (2002) with Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez, and Vanity Fair (2004) with Reese Witherspoon. In 2003, he won the Best Actor award at the Temecula Valley International Film Festival for his role in Photo Finish.

Though James has recently received acclaim for his role as Mark Antony on the lauded Rome series, prior to this he seemed to have constantly been standing on the sidelines. In 1995 he was considered for the role of James Bond in Golden Eye, but lost out to Pierce Brosnan. He also missed his opportunity to star alongside Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta (2005) when Hugo Weaving stepped up to snag the role of V.

While most people know James for his professional career, his personal life has been in the public eye as well. He has dated Gwyneth Paltrow and Piper Perabo, the star of Coyote Ugly. James also has a son, Joseph, born in 1997, with actress and former girlfriend Holly Aird.